I like making things, I like to bring things into the world that might add cheer, amusement to someone’s day.

I tend to shy away from the logic of business, though it is essential to operations and I am now reliant on these “operations” for my living.

I am bedeviled by shipping costs. I have miscalculated often and so far always erred on the side of under charging.

See this donut pillow? It is large. Very large. It costs a buttload to mail to Australia. I didn’t know that the first time I mailed one. When the nice lady at the post office told me my big box would cost $43 and change I was crushed. I’d guessed $13. That is the shipping charge on my Etsy listing.

I had to go back and tell the buyer I couldn’t ship the item because of my very bad miscalculation. I told her I didn’t expect she’d want to pay that much shipping. She said she would.

It’s not cool to mess up this way. That isn’t the worst story. Somehow on another listing I charged no shipping at all for a donut to the U.K.

That may have been a fowl up in the Etsy shipping page which had changed and whose subtleties I had not learned.

I ate the massive cost of shipping that time and then realized I had to get it together.

I know the cost to Australia and the U.K. nearly $50. I decided I would charge $30. shipping from now on. The problem is no one want to pay that much shipping. Even if they can fully understand that big things cost lots of cash to send it doesn’t go down well.

I though for awhile that I’d just be honest about the costs and let people know that I was absorbing part of the shipping cost. Finally, today, I decided to do what everyone else does, what business etiquette (strange concept) or maybe I should say business psychology demands.

Include part of the shipping costs in the price. That means I had to raise my prices by $21 bucks. Will I ever sell another donut?

I’ve also decided the gigantic size, 20 inches of pillow, might be too much. Maybe I’m the only one who equates their enormity with an amusing cuteness.

This morning I made a 16 inch pattern and will, in the near future, offer these smaller donut pillows to Etsy shoppers. they will be more truly acccent pillows.

I’m pretty sure If I mention pillows one more time someone will slap me but I’ll just slip in a plug here for my big donut with cherry icing:

This evening, wet and chilly for the end of May, I must confess that after a full day’s work on projects mentioned far too often I am reading another interesting memoir.

I though this one might be a little Oprahish but I’ve found Elizabeth Gilbert is a witty Cancerian and she’s visiting places to which I am drawn. Though this is like a mega hit book that’s not a good enough reason to avoid it.

I am loving Gilbert’s descriptions of her lusty enjoyment of Italian foods. Pastries and pizza. Yumm.

I read on Amazon that they are making a movie of this book and that Julia Roberts will star. Hum. Maybe. I hope she doesn’t burst out in that crazy laught too much.

I’m avoiding the nightly viewing of Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann. It’s just too sad to see the oil spew and related wipe out damage. Too, too sad. I know I have to face reality but sometimes it’s tough.

Thank you, dear readers, for your prayers and positive energy. I have been released from this call for jury duty. After three consecutive nights of calling in I am free.

That means I have uninterrupted time to finish off my latest list of projects.

As if my list wasn’t long enough I have been visualizing some very attractive fantasy mushrooms. This morning I pulled materials from closets and shelves and set them aside for use in mushroon construction.

Then there is long-term writing project that is making itself known, a calling to get some things down while I still can. It shall be called ‘member? I know that title is weird and confusing but it has a sort of multi-layered meaning for me. “member is a countryish colloquial version of “remember”.

” ‘Member when we went down to that place and did that thing that time? ” ‘Member?

This project involves lots of wringing out of moments from the past. I can’t say anymore about it because I’m am hypersensitive (superstitious) about large, prolonged writing tasks. I have to just do it and see if it materializes. It’s going to take a very long time.

It’s all about what I want it to be. It is a voyage of self discovery, it’s private art. Initially it feels like the voyage make take place on a sea of shit. It’ll clear up when I get in real deep. I can already feel it but now it’s something else that deserves my time and that’s the tricky part.

The list:

Dollmaker story, deadline June 15, have barely started.

All 25 letter number pillows finished and shipped, deadline June 10, nearly there.

ADO doll maker challenge for May, deadline May 31, have just started but know where I’m going.

ADO dollmaker challenge for June, deadline July 1, good ideas, some materials gathered.

Maple Bar pillow for Emily, deadline by her July birthdate.

Pretty Mushrooms, whenever I finish a few of the above. I can’t wait to try one.

The call to the court last evening let me off the hook until a later time. I’m in limbo now. My group may be needed for a trial next week. I am to call back tonight and see if I show up at a future date or get the free pass.

I should have been stuffing 7s and readying the sets of pillows to go off to the big clothing manufacturers annex in the east but I’ve been doing everything else — errand running, grocery shopping print packaging, drop off and pick up, etc.

The truly satisfying thing is that I finished both my other donut pillows yesterday.

Devil’s food with white icing and cocoa puffs

This is my biggest donut to date. Lots of luscious chocolate and vanilla.

The donut with chocolate icing and red heart candies came out nicely.

Both of these are about 20 inches across and about 5 inches in height.

They are big and cuddly which is one of my favorite things about the donuts. The close ups make me think of donut landscapes.

The color was is pretty and powerful that it deserves to stand by itself. That and the fact that not many bead sprinkles show up well on this intense field.

I love this donut. Yes, I love them all but this one is so big and pretty! It measures about 20 iches across and is 5 inches high.

This much color will really brighten a room, baby.

I can see these tossed on the bed or on a soft clean rug for a toddler to crawl over or sit in.

I know my daughter would have happily occupied a donut pillow hole while watching Muppet Family Christmas, her first favorite TV offering.

I was going to school back then and had not yet given free reign to my maker instincts. I had my hands full with two kids and college.

Here is Miss Jess in a sweatshirt turban looking badass beside Keith Richards and beneath the Blues For Allah poster.

I wish I had a time machine so I could make her big donuts and all the pretty dresses she craved as a very small girl.

I think Brian would have liked the donuts as well. They make for very comfy lounging. Time machine, time machine, time machine!

Does every mother wish to turn back the hands of time ?

My kids are so cool and now as young adults they touch my heart and blow my mommy mind with their brilliance and goodness.

They are poised and kind and funny, funny people. I am so blessed to have be related to them.

Ah, back to the work at hand.

Three or four sets of 7s need to be stuffed and I should definitely start today. I think I’ve got three sewn with two more sets to go. I also have three letters to cut, sew and stuff. Shipping begins this week. I’ll roll them out one big box at a time.

Potential boulder in the road –> I call the court about jury duty this evening.

No more donuts for a while though I’ve got two others nearly finished.

Maybe I’ll finish the last of the hand stitching on this donut with chocolate icing and red hearts candies. I’m so close to being done.

I want it on my donut stack.

This baby should be up at Etsy sometime this week. Yummy for the eyes.

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!Help! Anybody out there who knows where I can get this caramel colored fleece (body of donut) on line please leave me a comment.